PKDICK

Just beautiful.

The lume on the gen dial really does leap out doesn't it? I think the hands are OK too, but having done all that work already you are going to fit a gen set eventually anyway aren't you...

As you will see elsewhere on the forum, the mantra 'buy the dealer not the watch' holds strong here. Look at the dealer section at the bottom of the forum list and you will see several dealers that have a rep of the Exp1. They will give better service and all also charge less than a third of the price that the website you mention charges.

Most reps come with pretty poor luminosity, if any, applied to the face and hands. A popular upgrade is to get the watch re-lumed with better luminous compound.

OK. OK.... I'm back. If a dealer says ETA it should be ETA. Agreed.

I backpedal good.

And if you pay $300 for a watch with a genuine ETA ? You should get one. On Pugwash's post I agree 100% - you pay extra for that serviceability, you expect what you pay for.

Just to be frank? I'm paying about $200 max and I'm very happy with what I'm getting, from one of the most respected dealers here. Maybe I don't have high expectations, but I'm happy. So yeah, just happy to be here. Don't knock it.

Typical response from someone who's just "damn happy to be here" and doesn't have a clue as to what passion in this hobby means.

Why not buy an Invicta and just keep everyone 15 feet away from it? It would save you the obligitory Submariner purchase.

I'm a newbie and I 'fessed up as such. I don't have the knowledge and experience you guys have, but I can still like reps. Passion? yeah, I'll grow into it. I want what I buy to perform as it should, period.

On the Invicta jibe - that could apply to watches costing way more than the 8296, which is even worse. There are plenty of 'homages' out there touching $1000 which strikes me as a lot sadder than buying a good rep.

'Damn happy to be here' - yes, I guess I am. For now.

Whoo! - wasn't expecting such a fast response! Sorry if i ruffled feathers...

I'm not condoning misrepresentation. If a dealer is emphatically stating that you get an ETA (Valjoux, Unitas etc) you should get it. If you have to pay more for it you should absolutely get it. The dealers I have dealt with are not claiming 'genuine Swiss ETA' though, and I am not expecting it. I like dealing with vendors who are as straightforward as possible.

I don't have low expectations either. If I buy an 'ETA' equipped watch I expect it to perform as an ETA equipped watch. The Chinese stuff is hugely underrated IMHO. I'll take the risk on the need for regular serving though.

On the thread - I read p 1 - 7 and skipped to 16. If I missed something, I apologise,.

Nah, you have to remember the usual spousal response when you get caught with a new one -

"Is that another one? It looks just like all the others! "

She'll never know the difference between a PO and a Speedy. The dial colour's the same isn't it? That's enough.

Just don't wear both at once and make sure you say her hair looks great.

What a fun thread! The most honest and straightforward I have seen...

Anyway, from the big newbie that I am:

1. I have always assumed that all the movements in all the watches sold by all the dealers are Chinese copies, not Swiss ETA (or Valjoux, or Unitas or whatever).

2. This doesn't bother me in the slightest.

3. If I order an 'ETA 2836' I do so because I assume it will run at the stated bph and therefore 'look the part' in terms of second hand sweep more than a 'Miyota 21J' (and I always do BTW).

4. I'm pretty sure the stated 'Miyota 21J' is a Chinese copy of the Japanese Miyota anyway.

5. (And a bit unrelated) I'm not going to buy any of the chronograph watches real soon, until the Chinese sort it out.

We are buying reps after all...wheres the problem in rep movements (as long as they work as they should) ?

And on the misinformation - just marketing. In this product sector can we really expect 100% honesty?

Thanks for the welcome people!

Just a few pics to show off my new EXP1 from PT. It is an ETA 2836:

These are small, simple & beautiful IMHO. I have always loved the gen, and this is pretty close!

I'm a noob here, but have lurked a while before posting (as you do...). There is much to learn!

These are my first two reps. Both come from PT, who has been great to deal with. Since they were delivered in the UK, no customs problems either.

These are both ETA 2836. My only experience of reps before was nasty quartz jobbies in Hong Kong in the early 90s. Things have changed!